Adult Posterior Fossa Anaplastic Ependymoma, Case Series and Literature Review.

OBJECTIVE: Ependymomas are rare central nervous system tumors. The current treatment strategy is gross total tumor removal. Whether adjuvant therapy will be beneficial is controversial. We retrospectively analyzed 3 cases of World Health Organization (WHO) grade III posterior fossa anaplastic ependymomas treated with different treatment modalities. We aimed to identify possible treatment options for infratentorial WHO grade III anaplastic ependymoma in adults. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 3 patients diagnosed with infratentorial anaplastic ependymomas in our institution from 2016 to 2020. The demographic data were documented. This case series of 3 patients does not meet the Department of Health and Human Services definition of research and does not need Institutional Review Board approval. All patients' informed consents have been obtained. RESULTS: One patient underwent subtotal tumor resection combined with adjuvant radiotherapy and Gamma Knife radiosurgery while the other 2 patients underwent gross total tumor removal combined with Gamma Knife radiosurgery or adjuvant radiotherapy. Tumors recurred in the first patient 20 months later, while the other 2 patents did not develop recurrence. The modified Rankin scale scores of these patients were 1, 0, and 0. All patients are followed up with regular magnetic resonance imaging at our facility. CONCLUSIONS: The strategy for treating WHO grade III anaplastic ependymomas is controversial, but gross total tumor resection remains the key element. Adjuvant stereotactic radiosurgery after tumor removal might be considered if radiotherapy is not an option. The role of chemotherapy is unclear, and the use of chemotherapy should be tailored to individual patients.

Intraspinal tumors: analysis of 184 patients treated surgically.

BACKGROUND: Intraspinal tumors are rare central nervous system neoplasms. The reported clinical features of intraspinal tumors have varied in previous studies. We present here the cases of 184 patients with intraspinal tumors treated surgically in our hospital and a review of the literature. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of 184 patients with intraspinal tumors who underwent surgical treatment in our institution between 2002 and 2013. Their age, sex, initial presentation, tumor location, level of affected vertebral column, histological diagnosis, and primary origin of the metastatic tumor were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: Of these 184 patients, 97 (52.7%) were men and 87 (47.3%) were women. The mean age was 56.3 years (range 7-83 years). A total of 102 (55.4%) had primary tumors, while 82 (44.6%) patients had developed metastatic tumors. The histological diagnosis of the primary tumors included 55 (53.9%) schwannomas, 16 (15.7%) meningiomas, six (5.9%) ependymomas, five (4.9%) neurofibromas, three (2.9%) hemangiomas, two (2.0%) hemagioblastomas, and 15 (14.7%) other tumor types. The most common primary sites of the metastatic tumors were the lung and breast. CONCLUSION: Primary tumors were more numerous than metastastic tumors in our series of patients. For the primary tumors, our study showed a higher proportion of nerve sheath cell tumors (schwannomas and neurofibromas) and fewer meningiomas and neuroepithelial tumors compared with reports from non-Asian countries. In addition, the lung was the most common origin of the metastatic tumors and more than half of these tumors were located at the thoracic spine. Back pain and radicular pain were the most common presentations in patients with intraspinal tumors.

Orbital apex syndrome due to aspergillosis with subsequent fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Orbital apex syndrome has been described previously as a syndrome involving damage to the oculomotor nerve (III), trochlear nerve (IV), abducens nerve (VI), and ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve (V1), in association with optic nerve dysfunction. It may be caused by inflammatory, infectious, neoplastic, iatrogenic, or vascular processes. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 73-year-old female having hypertension and rheumatoid arthritis stage 4 under long-term corticosteroid therapy presented to us with the right side orbital apex syndrome. Her magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of orbit showed progression of a lesion at the right orbital apex and adjacent right superior orbital fissure with mild extension to the right posterior ethmoid sinus. She underwent endoscopic endonasal transethmoid approach with the removal of the lesion. The pathology showed a picture of fungal infection and the culture of the specimen proved Aspergillus fumigatus. Her postoperative course was smooth until 5 days after surgery, when she suffered a massive spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage resulting from a ruptured aneurysm, which was proven by computed tomography angiography (CTA) of brain. Unfortunately, she expired due to central failure. CONCLUSION: In cases of immunocompromised patients having orbital apex syndrome, fungal infection should be kept in mind. One of the most lethal but rare sequels of CNS fungal infection is intracranial aneurysms. Early diagnosis and radical resection, combined with antifungal medications is the key to save this particular group of patients.

Organic dyes containing coplanar diphenyl-substituted dithienosilole core for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells.

Two new organic dyes adopting coplanar diphenyl-substituted dithienosilole as the central linkage have been synthesized, characterized, and used as the sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The best DSSC exhibited a high power conversion efficiency up to 7.6% (TP6CADTS) under AM 1.5G irradiation, reaching approximately 96% of the ruthenium dye N719-based reference cell under the same conditions.

Primary vaginal extraosseous Ewing sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor with cranial metastasis.

Extraosseous Ewing sarcoma is now regarded as a member of the Ewing sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) family. It typically involves the soft tissues of the chest wall, pelvis, paravertebral region, abdominal wall, retroperitoneal region and extremities of children, adolescents and young adults, but it seldom occurs in the female genital tract. We report an extremely rare case of retrospective diagnosis of vaginal extraosseous Ewing sarcoma/PNET which metastasized to the right frontoparietal scalp, skull, and dura. Surgical resection, followed by adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy resulted in a favourable clinical outcome. Both the vaginal and head tumors had similar light microscopic features supporting the diagnosis.

Functionalized dibenzo[g,p]chrysenes: variable photophysical and electronic properties and liquid-crystal chemistry.

The photophysical and electronic properties of dibenzo[ g, p]chrysenes bearing electron-rich and -deficient substituents vary markedly with these substituents. The chemistry of the first liquid-crystalline dibenzo[ g, p]chrysene is also described.

Huge spinal extradural meningeal cyst in the thoracolumbar spine: a case report of a rare cause of low backpain.

Symptomatic intraspinal extradural meningeal cysts are rare. We present the case of a 17-year-old female with low back pain, progressive numbness, and radiation pain to the flank and lower limbs. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomographic myelography revealed a huge intraspinal extradural meningeal cyst extending from T12 to L3 with cord and dural sac compression. The patient underwent surgery to open the cyst and close the connecting dural defect. Pathologic examination of the cyst disclosed non-specific fibrous connective tissue without an inner arachnoid single-cell lining. She achieved complete recovery after the operation. There was no recurrence of the cyst at a 2-year follow-up.